Blessed Star
by jake111
Summary: You are my Sunna Varla, my Blessed Star. A blind girl is granted a big wish by her caretaker. Future Dragonborn.


The Winter Solstice festival was the largest of the year. Every inch of the Imperial city was caught in the tidal wave of winter tidings. Mage lanterns burned in a thousand different colors from every home, the White Gold tower was awash in effervescent enchantments, and men and women of all races and classes mingled in the streets. There were parades of legionnaires in their gleaming dress uniforms, mages shot gouts of magic into the sky to create fantastical displays. A bard sung or a street performer plied their trade on every corner and every park contained an orchestra. Tents and stalls lined the avenues, games of chance and skill for all to partake, merchants of all stripes and commodities hawked their wares, accepting both real customers and mere window shoppers alike to view their finest offerings. And the hallmark of the holiday season sat in the center of the Arboretum, statues of gods and champions restored and lit with ethereal lights surrounded the finest tree in the empire.

It was a massive spruce, towering over everyone at 24 and a half meters tall. Imperial foresters scoured all of Cyrodiil every year, searching for the perfect specimen of arboreal greatness. Ornaments and mage lanterns hung from every bough. Spells of candlelight danced around it like sprites of the Seely Court, and at the very top, there sat an eight pointed star of exquisite silver and gemstones blessed by the priests of the divines that would be lit with magic at the end of the evening, when all would gather around it and sing.

Even out in the countryside, where the nobility made their estates, no one could escape the holiday cheer. Every estate was lit up in and decorated to the nines. And at the homes of the wealthiest and the most reputed families, you could find the finest balls for the elite of the Empire. The only occasion finer was the Imperial gala itself, held by the Emperor and his family in the Imperial Palace, where only the most exclusive were invited.

That was where you could find my older sister, and where you would soon find my father and eldest sister, but not me. You would not find me in the streets admiring the lights, you would not find me enjoying the parades or the street performers. You would not find me in the stalls perusing the wares or trying my hand at one of the games. Nor would you find me dancing at any of the noble balls. And you wouldn't find me in the Arboretum staring in awe at the Solstice tree.

No, you would find me swaddled in my bed, coverlets up to my chin. My room was filled with the gifts of other nobles, I'd been there when they were presented, fine clothes, jewelry, and porcelain dolls from those who knew nothing of me. Finely crafted toy soldiers so detailed they could be real and maps along with custom tailored weapons and armor, both real and training, from those who knew my father and of me. Rare texts, first editions, tomes both ancient and arcane, and artifacts of magical or historical significance from those who actually knew me.

Of course, I may have been young, but even I knew that even the most genuine gift was given with at best the coincidental intention of drawing my father's favor. At worst, it was the only intention. Brutus Augustus was known for many things, his keen mind, his unmatched battle prowess, his incredible cunning, his racial tolerance, but there were two things he was known for more than any of that. One was his influence over the military, and thus his sway over the imperial council. The other was the way he doted on his daughters, he often said that he would trade the spoils of every campaign he'd ever fought if it would make his girls happy. And thus, the nobles of the empire knew that if they wanted his favor, the best way was through us.

Indeed, I'd had to assure him for an hour that he didn't have to stay home simply because I was sick. If he stayed home every time I was sick, he would never leave the estate. It helped that I was in the capable hands of my caretaker and bodyguard, Idrosu, as I always was. I was five years old and I had never known a time without her at my side.

I tried not to cry, or more accurately I tried to keep my sobs to a minimum volume. I wouldn't have been able to actually see anything, but I'd been hoping to at least feel the energy of it all. Instead, there I was, laying in my room all alone. Even Idrosu was somewhere else in the castle, tending to some matter or another.

Then I felt a pair of arms wrap around me, pulling the covers away. They were familiar arms, "'Drosu?"

"Shh, my sweet Aurelia, we must be quiet." I didn't protest when gentle hands wiped my tears away and strong slender arms picked me up, nor did I resist when they undressed me and redressed me in what felt like my warmest clothes. Then my caretaker wrapped me in my warmest cloak and took me up in her arms again. "We're going on a little trip."

I sniffled but said nothing. I was elated to be going anywhere tonight. She held me close to her chest as she carried me. "Tonight is not a night to be spent in bed my sweet little girl, it is not a night to be spent alone," she whispered in my ear, pulling the hood of the cloak tighter around my face.

I could hear her heartbeat from where I was snuggled against her chest, it was soothing, and eminently difficult not to fall asleep to. But soon the sounds changed, from the quiet of my family's compound to the chaos of the Imperial city streets. A rowdy band of half drunk Nords, I could tell from their accents, slurred their way through a chorus of 'The Wolf of Winterhold.' A jeweler called at us, offering a necklace with a miniature version of the Solstice tree star.

"I want one, please 'Drosu?" I sniffled as I pleaded, and a soft cloth wiped my face, but I felt her gait shift as she chuckled. The jeweler was marketing them as fallen stars, they came with an enchantment that made them glow, and he raised the price with disgust in his voice when he saw 'Drosu's dark elf features. The disgust disappeared and the price lowered below the original when he saw my family crest on her coat clasp. And when we walked away, a fallen star hung on a golden chain around my neck. 'Drosu shifted me from her arms to her shoulders.

We passed a bard playing a slow Solstice tune, some kind of magic enhanced the sound, allowing it to drift above the crowd to reach everyone's ears. The clink of coin said that this was a wise investment for the man. 'Drosu gave me a cup filled with a warm chocolatey liquid and a sweet doughy cookie. For a while I just reveled in the sounds and scents of the festival while my caretaker and bodyguard carried me through the streets.

Then the sounds changed again, from the rowdiness of the streets to a quieter, calmer, atmosphere. I could still here the voices, but they were hushed now, and the scents had turned from that of fresh cooked food and masses of people to the lighter smells of flowers and trees, lilacs and oaks and all manner of herbal delights. Finally we stopped again, and 'Drosu took me in her arms again, with one arm she held me and with the other she covered my eyes.

"Close your eyes sweet girl." I didn't know why she wanted me to do that. It didn't make any difference one way or another. But I did what she told me, I always did what she told me. I closed my eyes, I heard 'Drosu whisper an incantation, and then she raised her hand from my eyes.

"Okay sweet girl open your eyes," I did.

And I saw, for the first time in my life, I **SAW.** Not through my eyes, but through a third eye, I didn't know what was doing it, and I didn't care, because I. Could. See.

And what a sight to see, the Solstice Tree was everything I'd ever imagined it to be and more. The colors that I'd always read about, I couldn't name them, but they were so ungodly beautiful. It was so truly massive, I was so small compared to it. It was one thing to read 24 and a half meters, it was another thing entirely to **SEE** it.

I stared awestruck as the voices around me picked up in song and the blessed star at the top lit up with divine brightness. Tears filled my eyes, not like the sobs in bed, not like the runny tears of the sickness, tears of pure joy ran down my face. I looked down, my fallen star was glowing too.

I looked at 'Drosu's face, at the blue-black skin bathed in holy light, at the bright red eyes staring kindly back at me. How easily she held me, how big everyone else was I realized how small I was.

I raised my little arm and pointed to the star, and in my tiny voice I said, "It's so beautiful."

'Drosu shook her head, "I have no need of it, I have you." She kissed me on the forehead and whispered in my ear.

"You are my Sunna Varla and I love you."

She clutched me tight to her chest and I hugged her back, wrapping my minuscule arms around her neck as best I could. And then she whispered in my ear again.

"Happy Solstice my Blessed Star."

…

 **Happy Holidays guys.**

 **The world isn't at it's best right now, but I hope somehow, everyone finds at least one moment of peace for this season.**

 **Other than that, this is the first part of a much longer Skyrim piece that I'm working on. I hope you like it.**


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